Julie Roberts Says She Has MS

Jessica Phillips | Published: Apr 15, 2011

Photography by: CMA

It's been seven years since Julie Roberts' bluesy-country voice was heard belting out the Top 20 hit "Break Down Here" on country radio, leaving many fans wondering about the cause of the absence. The singer recently revealed on her blog that she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis several years ago.

"It all started when I was on the road touring for my first album," Julie wrote. "I’d be in the middle of a show and couldn’t hold my microphone anymore. I’d have to switch the microphone between my hands, back and forth to get through a song. Sometimes during a show, I would get these electric shocks that would start at the back of my head and felt like it would spread all over my head. I would be signing in my autograph line after a show and while writing the name my fan would give me I couldn’t even see what I was writing. My vision was very blurry most nights."

A workout buff, Julie says she even had difficulty in the gym. "I couldn’t even hold weights," she wrote.

Between recording her first and second album, the singer says she was told by doctors that she had 12 lesions on her brain and that she had multiple sclerosis. A subsequent spinal tap proved negative for MS, but a doctor still suggested she take medication, according to Julie. She decided not to take the medication, instead focusing on exercise and healthy eating.

While not symptom free, Julie gets checked every six months and keeps a journal of any physical issues she has.

Through it all, the singer has not given up on music. "My tentative plan is to have my record ready by Memorial Day weekend to sell at the Charlotte Motor Speedway and on iTunes, of course," says Julie. "I am excited and anxious to tell you all the details of the recording of every song."